From: MPetrelis@aol.com
Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 13:37:34 -0500
Subject: IRS, Pat Christen and cohorts high salaries
In light of the recent attack on SF AIDS Foundation executive director, and
possible national AIDS Czarina, Pat Christen by the violent ACT UP/San
Francisco group, I decided to look at SFAF's most recent 990 forms filed with
the Internal Revenue Service, and CT-2 Periodic Report filed with the
California Attorney General. One reason for the attack was Christen's alleged
high salary. I didn't endorse the action, but I was curious about what this
AIDS bureaucrat was paid.
For the year ending on June 30, 1995, line 14 of the state CT-2 report, asks
for "the total annual compensation (salary plus all benefits) paid to the
highest paid employee for: (a) The fiscal year covered by this report." The
figure provided is $141,176, which is Christen's salary. A nice chunk of
change, and I imagine she received a raise in 1996.
The federal 990 form states that after Christen, the next highest salaried
employee is the development director, Jane Breyer, who receives $98,760. Next
highest is the director of finance, Lance Henderson, at $95,052, with the
director of programs, Rene Durazzo, following with $82,624, and the director
of policy, Regina Aragon, coming in $66,237. Total number of other employees
paid over $50,000 is nine.
Of these five people, only one, Henderson, lives in San Francisco. Christen
lists an Oakland address, as does Aragon. Breyer and Durazzo live in El
Cerrito.
The average person with AIDS in San Francisco on disability survives with
$640 a month in benefits. Compare that figure with what management at SFAF
pays its top executives. To be a client of the SFAF, one must be a resident
of the city. Unlike the non-residents of San Francisco who run the region's
largest AIDS service organization, and as such, in effect, set public policy
in the city.
I mention these facts because if we're going to analyze the effectiveness of
leaders at the SFAF, and Christen especially since she may become President
Clinton's AIDS Czarina, we must know how much she and her colleagues are
compensated for services rendered.